Chapter 1
Your Wish, My Demand
By J.D. Walker
“Clint! Aren’t you ready yet? It’s almost one o’clock, man!”
Kyle Rivers, my business partner of ten years and best friend since college, was a bit of a worrier. If I let him, he’d work himself into a state that we really didn’t have time to deal with right now.
“Calm down, Kyle,” I said in a gentle but firm tone while I printed out a quote sheet.
He responded immediately to the cadence of my voice, took a deep breath, and relaxed, just like I knew he would. “Okay, Clint.”
It was a quirk he had, but one I never abused, considering his background of mistreatment, first from his parents’ verbal insults growing up—and their rejection—to asshole, abusive ex-boyfriends. I only used that particular tone when Kyle got agitated to the point of near hysteria, like today.
“I’ll be ready in a sec, okay? I just sent the guy a text a minute ago that we were on our way. We won’t be late, I promise.” I looked up at him and gave him a confident smile, which relaxed him further.
We had opened our boutique landscaping business together, right after graduating from college. It had taken us a couple of years and a lot of work to build a name for ourselves, but even with all the ups and downs, I was proud of our little company that could.
Hopefully, we were about to land a new client—a very fussy new client, if I got any indication from my brief conversation with the man—who asked us to meet him at his house to go over what he wanted to have done to the grounds. If all went well, we would give him a quote, and he would accept.
Grabbing the paperwork and keys, I said, “Let’s go.”
Kyle followed behind me and closed the door to the office. We got into the company pickup truck and I started the engine. I pulled out of the gravel driveway as soon as Kyle buckled up. I waved to some of our crew that worked on the grounds surrounding the trailer as we drove out onto the street.
Fifteen minutes later, we made it to our destination. The curly-haired, bearded man, who I assumed was our soon-to-be client, waved at us vigorously from where he stood as we parked in his driveway. He seemed to be an energetic guy, reminding me a little bit of a badger—furry and round, with stubby legs.
“There you are!” He ran up to us and shook our hands briskly when we got out of the truck. “I’m Pat Henson. Thanks for coming!” He rubbed his hands together gleefully, button nose shining in the afternoon sunlight, and his round face gleaming with anticipation. “Let’s get started!”
I knew, without looking at him, that Kyle rolled his eyes as we followed Henson to his huge, overgrown backyard.
Kyle and I spent the next two hours discussing the water fountain, pond, sculptures, rock garden, and other grandiose ideas Mr. Henson had for his property. We talked him down to what he could reasonably expect, then wrote it up and had him sign off on the quote.
We left with a check for a sizable down p*****t and the promise to start work on Monday morning, bright and early.
“Jesus, that man has too much energy for me,” Kyle said as we drove back to the office.
“I know. Makes me want to tie him up just to keep him still for a minute,” I replied with a smirk.
Kyle laughed, a sound that always warmed my heart and had become more frequent lately. “Sounds like you need to go to Ties That Bind tonight and get it out of your system.”
I was surprised—and pleased—that Kyle had voluntarily brought up my favorite b**m club. I smiled at him and said, “Maybe I will.”
It had been a while since I’d been there. Business was booming for us, which was a good thing for our finances but not my libido. I hadn’t had anything but my own hand for pleasure in days. I needed an ass to f**k.
“You coming with me, this time?” I asked as we parked in front of the trailer that housed our office. The property around us was just as busy as when we’d left it.
“Hey, bosses,” Henry, one of the crew leaders, said as he walked by us with a broken blower.
I nodded, and we headed to the office.
“You know the answer to that,” Kyle replied as I followed him into the trailer.
“Kyle, don’t you think it’s time you tried again?” I closed the door behind me and threw the truck keys on my desk. “Bruce was an abusive asshole, but that was two years ago.” I’d beaten said asshole for damaging my best friend the way he had, but it had taken Kyle a long time after he’d physically healed to regain enough self-confidence just to face himself in the mirror every day.
Kyle walked over to his desk and put the paperwork on top of a huge pile. “I know. I want to, but I’m afraid, I guess. My luck hasn’t been that good with, you know—” He ran trembling fingers through his hair.
“Honey,” I began, sitting on the edge of the desk as I spoke. “You need to get back out there, make a new start. Don’t let those losers who hurt you win, hear me? Just because you’re naturally submissive doesn’t mean anyone has a right to take advantage of you.”
Kyle swallowed and looked away.
“How about this?” I proposed. “You come with me to the club and watch—that’s all. Soak up the atmosphere, maybe check out some scenes. See people enjoying themselves in a safe environment. Five minutes, an hour, doesn’t matter. Lots of people do that. There are viewing rooms, too. Whatever you want to experience, it’s there. They even provide lube, condoms, and tissues, should you need to let one go.” I smiled cheekily and he swatted me lightly on my arm, a blush creeping up his cheeks.
“You don’t have to commit to anything. Just sit and take it all in. Learn what it’s like to be around people who enjoy the same things you do, without shame and with respect for boundaries. Please? For me?” I fluttered my eyelashes the way I always did to get my way with him.
He laughed at my silliness, just like I wanted him to.
“Fine,” he relented. “But if it gets to be too much…I don’t want to disappoint you—”
“You could never do that, ever. Don’t even think that way. I’ll make sure people know to leave you alone, that you’re off limits.” And I would, too, because they would take one look at Kyle’s violet eyes, ice blond hair, and pale, gorgeous features and want to possess him, body and soul—just like I did. He wasn’t ready, but I hoped that one day soon, he would be. Because Kyle Rivers was everything I ever wanted in a man, and I’d take him any way I could get him. He was it for me.